Gerbera plant named ‘HILFHOTSPR’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Gerbera  plant named ‘HILFHOTSPR’, characterized by its compact, broadly upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; dense and bushy appearance; numerous large inflorescences with bright purplish red-colored ray florets with white-colored apices; upright and moderately strong peduncles; good garden performance and relative tolerance to low temperatures.

Botanical designation: Gerbera hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘HILFHOTSPR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Gerbera plant, botanically known as Gerbera hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘HILFHOTSPR’.

The new Gerbera plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact garden Gerbera plants with numerous attractive inflorescences, resistance to low temperatures and good garden performance.

The new Gerbera plant originated from a cross-pollination during the spring of 2015 of a proprietary selection of Gerbera hybrida identified as code number 1679, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Gerbera hybrida identified as code number 1680, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Gerbera plant was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands during the summer of 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Gerbera plant by vegetative terminal cuttings and in vitro meristem culture since the autumn of 2016 in De Kwakel, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this new Gerbera plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Gerbera have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘HILFHOTSPR’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘HILFHOTSPR’ as a new and distinct Gerbera plant:

-   -   1. Compact, broadly upright and uniformly mounding plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Dense and bushy appearance.     -   4. Numerous large inflorescences with bright purplish         red-colored ray florets with white-colored apices.     -   5. Upright and moderately strong peduncles.     -   6. Good garden performance and relative tolerance to low         temperatures.

Plants of the new Gerbera differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gerbera have larger inflorescences and with         larger ray florets than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Gerbera have bright purplish red-colored         ray florets whereas plants of the female parent selection have         white-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Gerbera differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gerbera have shorter and narrower leaves         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Gerbera have lighter purplish red-colored         ray florets than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Gerbera can be compared to plants of the Gerbera hybrida ‘GLOLIP21AA’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 17/747,718. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Gerbera differ from plants of ‘GLOLIP21AA’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gerbera have longer leaves than plants of         ‘GLOLIP21AA’.     -   2. Plants of the new Gerbera have slightly larger inflorescences         than plants of ‘GLOLIP21AA’.     -   3 Ray florets of plants of the new Gerbera are bright purplish         red in color whereas ray florets of plants of ‘GLOLIP21AA’ are         pink in color.     -   4. Plants of the new Gerbera have longer and thicker peduncles         than plants of ‘GLOLIP21AA’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Gerbera plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Gerbera plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 ) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘HILFHOTSPR’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 ) is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘HILFHOTSPR’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in 19-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Kwakel, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial garden Gerbera production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 18° C. Plants were six months old when the photographs were taken and nine months old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Gerbera hybrida ‘HILFHOTSPR’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gerbera             hybrida identified as code number 1679, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gerbera             hybrida identified as code number 1680, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings and in vitro meristem culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, by cuttings, summer and             winter.—About 3.5 weeks at minimum temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, by tissue culture, summer and             winter.—About 2.5 to 3 weeks at minimum temperatures of 20°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, by cuttings, summer             and winter.—About 3.5 weeks after rooting, at temperatures             about 20° C. to 26° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, by tissue culture,             summer and winter.—About five to six weeks at temperatures             about 20° C. to 26° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual             color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,             water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Herbaceous perennial that is typically grown as             a container or garden plant; compact, broadly upright and             uniformly mounding; roughly flattened globular in shape;             numerous leaves arranged in basal rosettes; dense and bushy             habit; inflorescences held above the foliar plane on erect             and strong basal peduncles; moderately vigorous to vigorous             growth habit and moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 32.6             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of inflorescences.—About             51.4 cm.         -   Plant width or spread.—About 60.5 cm. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, basal, simple.         -   Length.—About 30.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 17.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate to elliptic in overall outline; runciate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Hastate and short attenuate.         -   Margin.—Coarsely and irregularly angulate.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Moderately pubescent;             moderately glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Moderately to densely             pubescent, slightly glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137A; venation,             close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 144A; venation, close to 146B and 146C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 8.1 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Densely             pubescent; slightly glossy. Strength: Moderately strong to             strong. Color, upper surface: Close to 143A; towards the             margins, close to 148A. Color, lower surface: Close to 146A             to 146B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Composite inflorescence form with oblanceolate             to narrowly oblanceolate-shaped ray florets; solitary             inflorescences borne on upright and moderately strong             peduncles and held above the foliar plane; ray and disc             florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum; inflorescences             face upright.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about four months             after planting; under garden conditions in The Netherlands,             plants flower from spring to late autumn; plants can be             flowered year-round in the greenhouse.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Depending on the temperature,             inflorescences last about three weeks on the plant;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit with at             least six open inflorescences at one time.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About             3 cm. Shape: Flattened hemispherical. Texture and luster:             Densely pubescent; matte. Color: Close to NN137D; immature             ray florets, close to N144D.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 14 cm. Depth (height):             About 3.8 cm. Diameter of disc: About 4.2 cm.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm.             Shape: Flattened globular. Color: Close to 157B.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 400 per             inflorescence arranged in about ten whorls. Orientation:             Proximally, about 60° from vertical; distally, close to             horizontal to slightly downward. Length: About 5 cm. Width:             About 1.1 cm. Shape: Oblanceolate to narrowly oblanceolate.             Apex: Narrowly obtuse to broadly and bluntly acute. Base:             Narrowly cuneate. Margin: Entire; not undulate. Texture and             luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; matte.             Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous;             slightly velvety; slightly carinate; slightly glossy. Color:             When opening, upper surface: Close to a blend of 60B and             61B; towards the apical margins and apex, close to 155C.             When opening, lower surface: Close to 63B and 63C; towards             the apex, close to 155A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close             to N57B; towards the apex, close to 157D; venation, similar             to lamina colors; color does not change with subsequent             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to N155C and             N155D; towards the apex, close to 154D; proximal margins,             close to 62B; venation, similar to lamina colors; color does             not change with subsequent development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 800 disc             florets at center of the inflorescence arranged in about a             ten-whorl spiral; lower 80% of the disc floret is fused.             Length: About 1.8 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Tubular with             one or two narrow free lobes and one broader free lobe.             Apex: Acute and recurved. Base: Fused. Margin, free lobes:             Entire; not undulate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous; moderately velvety; matte. Texture, lower surface:             Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety; slightly glossy. Color:             When opening, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 54B;             towards the apex, close to 150D; mid-section and towards the             base, close to 155D. Fully opened, inner surface: Close to             55A; towards the apex, close to 155A; mid-section and             towards the base, close to NN155A. Fully opened, outer             surface: Close to 55B; towards the apex, close to 155A;             mid-section and towards the base, close to NN155A.         -   Pappus.—Quantity of hairs per floret: Numerous. Length:             About 7 mm. Diameter: Fine, less than 1 mm. Texture and             luster: Soft; matte. Color: Close to 161D.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity and arrangement: About 80 per             inflorescence arranged in about three whorls. Length: About             1.5 cm. Width (at base): About 3 mm. Shape: Narrowly             lanceolate to narrowly oblanceolate. Apex: Narrowly acute.             Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy. Texture and             luster, lower surface: Moderately to densely pubescent;             matte. Color, upper surface: Close to a blend of 143A and             144A. Color, lower surface: Close to 137B; towards the base,             close to 137A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 45.9 cm. Diameter: Proximally,             about 7 mm; distally, about 6 mm. Strength: Moderately             strong. Angle: About 15° from vertical. Texture and luster:             Densely pubescent; moderately glossy. Color: Close to 146A             to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium (present on disc florets             only): Quantity per floret: Five. Filament length: About             7 mm. Filament color: Close to 155C. Anther shape: Linear;             basifixed. Anther size: About 4 mm by 0.3 mm. Anther color:             Close to 14B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close             to 15A. Gynoecium (present on ray and disc florets):             Quantity per floret: One. Pistil length: About 1.2 cm.             Stigma diameter: About 0.3 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft. Stigma             color: Close to 155A. Style length: About 1.15 cm. Style             color: Close to N155B. Ovary color: Close to 157D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production has not             been observed on plants of the new Gerbera. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, resistance to pathogens and     pests common to Gerbera plants has not been observed on plants of     the new Gerbera grown under commercial production conditions. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Gerbera have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures ranging     from about −5° C. to about 35° C. and to be cold hardy to USDA     Hardiness Zone 8. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Gerbera plant named ‘HILFHOTSPR’ as illustrated and described. 